Whiffletree



Whiff1etree Patented April 20,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD VVARREN, OF JACKSON, MIOHIGAN.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION fornn'ng' part of Letters Patent No. 226,642,1dated April 20, 1880. Application filed September 22, 187i).

To all whom it may co'nccr'n Be it known that I, EDWARD VARREN, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVhiffletrees; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exaet description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in whic'h- Figure l is a plan or top View of a whiffletree emhodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one end of the tree, showing the manner of seeuring` the brace rod or strap upon the ends of the tree; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the trace-book or fastening` which forms a part of my improved whiffletree.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The object of this invention is to construct a whiffletree (double or single) that shall combine great strength and rigidity with light weight; and it consists, essentially, in the combination, with the tree, of a strengthening-rod or brace strap of greater length than the tree itself, so that it may be secured upon this by donbling the ends of the brace over the ends of the tree, and then clamping the doubled ends of the brace strap or rod upon the tree by the end collars, upon which the trace-books are seeured, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, A is the whiftletree proper, and B is the brace, which consists of a strap or rod of iron or any other suitable metal, which is placed close up against the curved back of the tree, which may be grooved or recessed longitndinally to receive it.

The projecting ends of the brace B are doubled around each end of the tree, so as to overlap each end a short distance in front, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawings, after which the collars O O are forced in over the ends, so as to clamp the curved ends of the brace tirmly upon the tree and hold the brace in place without the use of any other fastening devices.

D is the central clip, into which is inserted the ring E for the attachment of the tree to the vehicle. The rearwardly-extending tongue, d, of the clip, through which the ring is inserted, is made broad or wide, so as to preveut wearing out or cutting out of the ring.

The end collars, O O, are made with hooks F F, each of which is provided with aT-shaped cross-head, f, at its inner end, to preveut the slippingoff of the rings or links at the ends of the traces which are inserted upon the hooks.

If deslrcd, the overlapping ends b of the brace B may be turned down to form points, which are sharpened by filing, and will readily penetrate into the wood of the tree when the collar is forced over it, as shown in dotted lines at b' in Fig. 4.

Havin g thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The combination, with a double or single whifiletree, A, of a brace, B, consisting of a metal rod or strap of greater length than the tree, im pin gin g upon the back edge of the tree and doubled to overlap the ends of the same, and secured thereupon by the end collars, O O, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

In test-imony that I clairn the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD WARREN.

Vitnesses: M. F. CooK,

WM. H. Potr'rs. 

